Imapla

Hi We just came the other way using Grace Removals and Doree Bonner in UK - highly recommend - they provided an excellent service.

I do not advise moving to the other side of the world from your kids - its different if they move from you and I think its good for them to be independent but not the other way round - I know cos I've done it . I did have a conversation with someone on here about house swapping - if you can get leave from work (if you work) and find someone who is in a similar situation in the UK - you never know it might be something you could do on an annual / bi annual basis. Also please come back during the winter - not the summer ! England is so lovely in the summer but I bet the winter is longer than you remember and the days are darker than you remember. Good luck with your decision - its not easy !

I left the crate at Heathrow as it was very large and I figured they would put it to better use than me (ie sitting in the garage).

Glad to hear your story - So looking forward to ponging back soon !! - I also love to visit the UK but can't wait to be back in the sunshine and the outdoors, beautiful sunsets and scenery, clean streets, wide roads, sitting outside have a beer after work - will still miss my family a lot but that's what holidays are for!

Hi Its a long shot but you never know I am thinking a year or more ............. We are in Kent - soon to be in Brisbane so if anyone here is looking to return to the UK and doesn't want the hassle of renting their house out and then having to rent a house in Kent please pm me. Thanks for looking

Thanks - that's very helpful

Yes you have to wait 180 days after your rabies blood test result before they can leave - if you are talking UK to Aus ?

Ha ha mine are in the same situation and they also couldn't live here (UK)

Hi Does anyone have experience of house sitting websites. Do you know which is a good one to use? Thanks if you can advise

HI Bob when they get to melbourne - does the quarrantine kennel keep their crate for when they are subsequently shipped to Brisbane?

Hi You have been out of UK for 13 years - you will find lots of changes here . A lot of the things you mention may not be an Aussie problem - they may be a 2018 problem eg lack of professionalism in workplace, lack of support in schools. I also think as a migrant you will never really belong in either country - especially if you leave family behind in one. You will always be hoping for the best aspects of both countries and when thinking about the unrelenting heat (which lets face it is very pleasant most of the time - there are just a few months when humidity is uncomfortable) have you thought about the unrelenting cold ! I put my winter coat away in June last year and it was back out again in october - ditto with the heating. Its not the rain that is an issue to me as it really isn't that bad but its the cold and having to wear so many layers of clothes - and being stuck inside for so many months with windows closed. And the dark nights and dark mornings ........ You may even have the added emotion of guilt if your parents are aging. Have you thought about doing a long term stint over there - say six months/1 year (over the winter) and the do a rain check at the end of that ? I wish we had done that instead of fully pinging and now soon to be ponging !! or going back to Victoria Good luck with your decision - it is so hard to make.

Probably 2-4 months - do you remember how much you paid a month for that and who it was with ?

Hi Wondering if anyone has any experience of long term car rental on arrival in Brisbane? Thanks if you have any advice

Hi Did you go ? / choose a shipper ? I think I will go with Petair - I see Golden Arrow are having a sabatical as at Sept 2017 and Petair seems highly recommended on this forum

Bit confused as to how this post has gone from have we made a mistake returning to the UK to what TV we watch

For the sake of 3/4 months I would be looking for a dog sharer - it is much easier (and cheaper) to fly from Aus to UK as no quarrentine and no 180 day period that you have to have when going UK to Aus. It is such a long flight and with the 10 days quarrantine too it really might be more fun for your dogs if you could find someone who loves dogs but doesn't want to commit to a full time one you would have the best of both worlds.

HI I knew the day I arrived back it was a mistake - I am still here 2 1/2 years on but going back sooooooooooon. I have given it a couple of years and UK doesn't work for me -(I've had some great times over here but I just miss the lifestyle and weather too much - the big skies - the scenery - being outside - I can't handle being closed in for 7 months of the year) you will get people in all situations - those who returned and are glad - those who didn't return and are still wondering if they should have, those who return and wish they hadn't and those that return and then go back to Aus (ping pong) - it all sounds easy 'just go back' but it is not - especially if you have animals and children involved ! But you have now experienced both places and are completely in a position to make the decision. At least you tried returning to UK life - good luck with your decision.

IMHO I may well be able to do the paperwork but I prefer to use an expert and am happy to pay for that service - it is not just a vast profit for them - it is paying for their knowledge, experience and support in what is quite a stressful thing to do to your dog. It is all about value for money and I personally wouldn't want to risk doing it myself - in a few years time it won't make much difference whether it was £2k or £3 to ship him - either way he has cost us a lot of money but he is totally worth it. (I am also no sloth when it comes to paperwork having done our immigration application myself without an agent). I think the pet shipping companies do a great job and certainly wouldn't expect them to do it for no profit/income.

Hi Has anyone ever done a permanent house swap between UK and Australia? I am wondering if there are any websites or how you would go about finding a suitable swap. You would be looking for someone in Aus who is moving to the UK and someone in the UK who is moving to Aus Houses would need to be on a par. Timing would need to be right And how would the legal side work? Seems like a lot of planets would need to line up but you never know I guess ? Any thoughts ?

Hi - is there any talk of another quarrantine facility opening for Queensland at any time in the future or is all only happening in Melbourne?

We went for 4 days to Port Douglas to do the Barrier Reef (I wanted to go to Uluru too but we couldn't do both) - it was lovely and this is a good time of year to go - not too hot.

That's very hard - my vet put the wrong age on the form but I noticed and he reissued with the right info - there's so much to think about - you would hope that you don't have to follow behind the professionals making sure they have got it right. Good luck hope it all turns out okay for you. Have you thought about http://join3.borrowmydoggy.com/?headline=A+New+Kind+of+Dog+Care&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIodDTjO331AIVI77tCh308w2hEAAYASAAEgJYpfD_BwE to find someone who can look after them (or just the one)?

Chemical inbalance - because I like hot weather ? and why do you assume I am female Yes Sir - obviously its just as easy to get there - what I meant was to move over and live there .......

HI Interested to hear from those who struggled to sell their UK house to coincide with their move over - the market seems very slow at the moment and we don't want to rent it out. Do we leave before its sold ? Any top tips welcomed

HI I concur with everything you have said (except the M&S food part - I love the choices they give). Its so hard when you have one foot in each country - you want the best of both worlds and will forever be comparing. We have been in UK 2 long years now ....... going back by the end of this year - definitely, hopefully, maybe, absolutely !! Will be so hard to say goodbye to the parents and sisters again but It this has made me realise I need to be in a warm clime - in fact the other day on the hottest day since long long ago when most of my colleagues were wilting and complaining about the heat, I almost thought I could stay here and then I realised it was because I was warm to my soul again ! Good luck - hope it all works out for you - dogs and children make to ing and fro ing harder to do - maybe you should think about joining your parents in South of France ?? Although of course with Brexit that might not be as easy as it was.